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Centre care

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In her busy schedule, Christine C. Aring finds the time to share her views on the changes in the management systems during the last decade

When I look back, all our health records were primarily paper based. Due to the lack of unified decision making processes within the organization, decision-making was fragmented. Patients had to physically come to the hospital for diagnosis and treatment, no remote patient monitoring system was available.

Patients’ health records were managed by the hospital, resulting in a lack of transparency and visibility to our patients. The records were also at risk of getting lost during the transfer of care to other healthcare organizations.

Regularly, we analysed adverse events by using root cause analysis. Back then, the hospital staff, across different departments, worked in silos, which reinforced a culture of poor workflow and a hierarchy that further fragmented the delivery of care. Our quality management system was certified to IS0 9001.

What has made a huge difference for us and the patients is the implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHR). It has enabled the seamless interaction and exchange of health information regarding care throughout the whole patient journey.

The advancements in EHRs have promoted efficient workflows among our hospital staff as multiple patient data is quickly aggregated for active decision support. This break-down of silos has not only contributed to better patient flow but to a generative safety culture that has become fully integrated in all our processes. Infection prevention safety culture has played a big role in significantly reduce the rates of Hospital Acquired Infections.

The technological advances when it comes to genomic maps have enabled us to perform health risk predictions and earlier disease detection. Our diagnostic accuracy is nearly perfect, allowing precise, effective, and personalised treatments unthinkable in the past.

The way we communicate and interact with our patients is completely different now, as well. We use virtual media to interact with the enabling remote monitoring and offering 24/7 accessibility. Remember what the emergency room used to look like on a Friday night? Improved accessibility has drastically decreased waiting times for emergency visits, for example.

We have added efficient data management systems to enhance integrated care models. Quality management is still an integral and inherent part of ensuring the smooth continuum of care for service users - informed, involved patients who understand and participate in their care. Healthcare delivery is based on the newest clinical guidelines, incorporating a robust, up-to-date knowledge base.

For us, risk management is no longer primarily reactive, we have developed a management system that identifies a range of indicators to proactively monitor risk and alert managers of changes in the environment before adverse conditions occur.